Witching Hour
by Alayne Stone
Summary: The scene we didn't see, Davos and Mel's way back in the camp after she birthed the shadow.    I'm horrible with titles, but Bard quotes suit well with ASoIaF.


DAVOS

It took long till Davos was able to speak again. After seeing that shadow, he just sat there stunned and shocked, breathing heavily, fighting with nausea. Something was terribly wrong. He took the boat out of Storm's End but it was only his body that worked instinctively, his mind was still in awe. Finally, out there on the dark sea, he met the red woman's eyes. Melisandre didn't speak either, she looked tired and she might have taken a nap while he was rowing. But now she looked back.

"What have you done to my king?" He hissed, trying to keep his voice down - someone could have heard them - but still shaking with fury. "That was_ his_ shadow! What kind of witchcraft is this?"

She looked amused.

"Ser, I have done nothing to harm him, only his enemies."

"So what was this, some kind of assassin? And don't tell me you got it by saying some innocent prayers to your god! You stole it."

"You are not a green boy, Ser Davos. You know very well how a babe is made."

"You call _that_ a babe? That freakish thing just slipped through iron bars and - it will kill the castellan, right?"

Melisandre smiled.

"The Lord of Light approved."

Davos froze with the sudden realization.

"That's how Renly died. You killed him. You and your eldritch shadow child!"

She tilted her head to the right and looked up on him with her red eyes. If that was supposed to be an innocent look, she failed badly.

"Did the king know?" Davos put the oars down and grabbed her by the shoulder. "Do not lie now. Did he know?" _Please, say he didn't. Say he did not lie to me. He would never. Say he didn't before I lose my mind._ If she answered yes... Davos' grip tightened. There was nothing but the sea around them, dark and cold and full of terrors, he still had strength and he would be able to pull her down in the deep and not let go. She might resist poison but the sea would put her fire out for good. And for himself... if Stannis lied, everything he believed in would be shattered. He did not want to face a world where Stannis Baratheon could be false.

Melisandre touched his face, her small hand caresseing his beard lightly.

"He did not know the first time. He would have never approved the murder of his own brother, but I saved thousands by killing one man. I did what he could not, what he only dreamed of and even those dreams made him feel guilty. Tell me, Ser Davos, do you think me evil?"

He shuddered and his hands fell off her.

"I think you unnatural and dangerous."

"But helpful. You cannot deny that." She sat back. "You really believe in him, don't you? You don't believe in R'hllor, but you believe in your king. I would not trust the lords who were quick to turn their cloaks and deny their father's gods, just to win my favour. But I trust you, ser. You are fiercely loyal and that is what Stannis needs. A moment ago you were ready to die just to take me with you, I saw it in your eyes."

He sighed an continued to row in silence. Soon they reached the camp. He helped her out of the boat and headed towards the king's tent.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to speak with him."

He did not stop and she followed him through the camp. There were fires here and there but they only made the darkness worse - their own flickery shadows danced on the tents, made three times their height by the distant flames, and he could not bear to look at them right now.

The guard before the tent did not stop them, he only bowed to the lady.

"You can't wake him now!" Melisandre grabbed his sleeve as they entered.

He shook her off and made his way through the curtain that separated the king's bedchamber.

Stannis was asleep but he was clearly fighting nightmares, tossing and groaning, whispering words he could not make out.

He fell on his knees beside him.

"My king!"

"Don't!" Melisandre caught up with him again. "For R'hllor sake, he is not to be waken! Part of him is with the shadow. Did he not tell you his men could not wake him the last time, not before he was done and returned to his body?"

"You took his soul... I don't know what evil magic you used on him, but he is not your plaything, woman." He did not attack her this time but his eyes promised death. "Controlling shadow assassins in his sleep?" _Gods, how he must hate that._ "Don't you see how dangerous this is? What if someone killed that shadow? Would he die? No... don't say more."

He drew a chair nearer and sat down, his eyes fixed on his sleeping king, full of worry. It was horrible to see him suffer like that and do nothing.

"I can't leave till he wakes and he's safe. Go, my lady."

She gave him a knowing look, then she left, her cloak swishing with each step.

Davos kept vigil all through that long night and sometimes he thought it would never end. Something broke in him after what he had witnessed but one thing was still certain: Stannis needed him, more than ever. And he made a silent oath he would protect him, calling to the Mother as witness.

When dawn came, his king finally drifted into real sleep, looking so tired as if he fought a long battle.

Davos covered him gently with the thin blanket he threw off hours ago. His heart was heavy.

"There was a moment when I doubted you" he whispered. "Forgive me."


End file.
